Judge Dismisses Happy Meal Lawsuit

A California state court has dismissed a lawsuit against McDonald's aimed at stopping the fast feeder from using toys to market directly to children.

The suit, which focused on Happy Meals, was filed by consumer group Center for the Science in the Public Interest on behalf of Monet Parham, a Sacramento mother of two who said she was concerned about McDonald's "getting into my kids' heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat."

Reacting to the dismissal, McDonald's USA spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement: "As we have maintained throughout these proceedings, we believe this lawsuit is without merit and detracts from the important issue of children's health and nutrition. We are proud of our Happy Meals and will vigorously defend our brand, our reputation and our food. We stand on our 30-year track record of providing a fun experience for kids and families at McDonald's."

CSPI in a statement said it was considering an appeal. "McDonald's must stop exploiting children at some point," the organization stated. "Using toys, of all things, to lure young children to fast-food meals is not responsible corporate behavior. It's a predatory practice that undermines parents, causes rifts in families and harms kids' health."

The suit was filed at the California Superior Court in San Francisco. The judge's order was not immediately available for viewing on Wednesday.